Drive way

[divingmoose]

Hi,

I have a rear parking space with large wooden gates, the space is a good size for the car but before we bought the house it was renovated and the builder has basically dumped a load of gravel on the parking space when selling the house. This has now compacted and when it rains the water is settling in the low spots in the gravel. I think it has just been dumped onto soil when he did it. I want to hardcore it then whack a plate it then re gravel. Rather than digging out the old stuff can i hardcore on top and then compact it then gravel. I am able to raise the wooden gates so the height is not an issue and been slighty higher maybe be better because its a private road that leads to my parking area and this is all cut up and muddy etc so my parking space been higher would be be better i assume.
Thanks Lee

 

[hotrod]

Yes.

 

[divingmoose]

Is that yes to everything including I can just hardcore straight onto the existing stuff

 

[hotrod]

Is that yes to everything including I can just hardcore straight onto the existing stuff

I thought that was the only question you had asked. What other questions were there?

 

[divingmoose]

No worries thanks

 

[noseall]

Gravel (in my opinion) is garbage as a finishing layer but it is cheap.

As a sub layer it is ok provided it is fully retained. Give it a chance to escape and it will. This will result in the edges of the drive sinking.

 

[divingmoose]

I assume you would go for some other finish, i am only thinking gravel as like you say it's cheap and its not a driveway that people can see at the front of the house its round the rear so thought it did not matter that much

 

[noseall]

Gravel is ok for the first 6 months or so.

After a while weeds will grow in the undisturbed peripheries and leaves etc in the Autumn will compost themselves in the gravel.

After a few years you will have a garden where once you had gravel.

Gravel also has a tendency to escape and be where you don't want it to be.

Don't set it too deep either, say a maximum of 40mm.